So I hit him so what?

Personal Information
Name: Red
Age: 31
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Email / AIM / MSN / Plurk: Plurk - RedGuru
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Character Information
Character Name: Helga Geraldine Pataki
Fandom: Hey Arnold!

Character History: Please summarize your character's involvement in the series. This does not have to be every little event so much as an overview.

Helga is one of the main characters in the TV show Hey Arnold!. She is both friend and foe to the show's main character, Arnold.

The first time Helga met Arnold was in pre-school. Abandoned by her parents who were far more interested in showering Helga's older sister, Olga, with praise and attention Helga walked, by herself, to school. As she arrived an old Packard rolled up and Arnold stepped out. The kind boy held an umbrella over Helga as it was raining and she had no coat or umbrella of her own. Arnold even went so far as to compliment the pink bow that Helga was wearing in her hair because it matched the rest of what she was wearing.

Helga was instantly smitten with Arnold and later that same day when she had no lunch of her own and Harold stole her crackers Arnold shared his crackers with Helga. Helga could not help falling head over heels in love with Arnold but her affections were not lost on her little classmates. As a result of the hints of her developing crush, Helga was instantly the target of teasing. Hurt and embarrassed, Helga lashed out and immediately threatened Harold and the others with physical violence and Arnold became the unwitting outlet for all her anger and frustration as well as her love and affection.

Fast forward to fourth grade at P.S. 118. Helga continued to grow up in a dysfunctional household and she became even more twisted and self-centered. She manipulated her best friend, Phoebe Heyerdahl, into taking the fall for her in a school contest, she terrorized Arnold and Arnold's crush, Ruth P. McDougal, and she nearly caused Lila Sawyer grave injury on more than one occasion as she tried to get between her and Arnold.

Throughout the series, Helga did everything possible to keep her crush on Arnold a secret. In one episode she went so far as to beg, borrow, cheat, and steal her way into being in Arnold's group for a class project but then she proceeded to boss Arnold around, make fun of him, and even put glue on his clothing and cover him with feathers.

On the flip side, however, Helga made the fateful decision to give up her Nancy Spumoni snow boots in order for Arnold to give Mr. Hyunh the perfect Christmas gift - being reunited with his daughter - in the episode "Arnold's Christmas." Helga found out that the one man who could tell Arnold where Mr. Hyunh's daughter was would only look up the information if all his Christmas shopping was done by someone else - including a pair of Nancy Spumoni snow boots. When Arnold and Gerald failed to find the boots Helga gave up the pair she herself received for Christmas in order to allow not only Mr. Hyunh receive the perfect Christmas gift but also Arnold. Helga never revealed that she was the one who gave the snow boots to the government official and convinced him to stay after work to look up the location of Mr. Hyunh's missing daughter because she did not do it for recognition but because she knew it was the right thing to do. This episode was the first time the viewer really got to see that there was a lot of good in Helga and more to her than just being a bully.

During the episode "Arnold's Valentine" Helga again interfered with Arnold's love life by impersonating his French pen-pal, Cecile, and asking him on a date. Unknown to Helga, the real Cecile traveled to the United States to meet Arnold at the same time as their date. Before her whole plan was destroyed, a disguised Helga did actually get to have a real conversation with Arnold and the two reflected on how someone you like from afar can end up being totally wrong for you once you get to know them - Arnold had also met up with Ruth that night after sending her an anonymous Valentine and he found out she was about as interesting and insightful as a box of rocks.

In that moment, it became very clear how much Arnold had in common with not the Cecile that Helga was playing but actually Helga herself. Without her forced bravado and need to not care about anyone Helga was actually a lovely person and interesting to talk with. However, before Arnold could really question who the strange girl (Helga) the real Cecile arrived and Helga, her disguise keeping her identity a secret, departed.

In "Arnold's Thanksgiving" Helga was again faced with another horrible holiday with her perfect sister and her disinterested family. Frustrated by the lack of any concern for her Helga up and left the house. She ran into Arnold who had left his house as well because of family dysfunction of a whole other sort. As Arnold and Helga talked and walked they slowly found out that they had more in common than they thought. After all was said and done the two end up going back to their respective homes. Arnold even walked Helga home and waited until she was inside to leave - a gesture not lost on Helga.

In "Helga on the Couch" Helga was forced to confront why she acted out in school and especially toward Arnold with Dr. Bliss, the school district psychologist, pushing her along. During the episode Helga fully expressed her feelings toward her family, her family's emotional abuse and out-right neglect, and came to terms with the fact that she was scared to tell Arnold how she felt because she was afraid he wouldn't like her back and that was one of the main reasons she was so horrible to him - to protect her feelings.

"Helga on the Couch" was the precursor to "Hey Arnold!: The Movie" in terms of Helga's character development. The movie centered around the neighborhood being torn down for new stores and apartments. Helga's father stood to make a lot of money with a store being a large part of the new development. However, Arnold wouldn't let the neighborhood be destroyed without a fight. After finding out that an important event took place in their neighborhood - the "Tomato Incident" during the Revolutionary War - Arnold set out to find the document which would prove the Incident took place as well as where it took place thus saving the neighborhood. However, no one who knew of the document's existence was willing to help Arnold - that was, except Helga who knew of the paperwork due to her father's connection with FTi.

Under the identity of 'Deep Voice' Helga led Arnold and Gerald to the document's location and even helped Arnold to figure out a way to show the document to others even after it was burned into oblivion by using security camera footage. However, as Arnold was trying to escape with the tape he ran into the disguised Helga. He cornered 'Deep Voice' and after tripping over her own disguise Helga's true identity was revealed.

Arnold pressed Helga for a reason why she would help him since she claimed to hate him and she stood to gain a lot in terms of money and status if her father's wish for a new store became reality. Helga knew she was good and caught and she finally confessed her feelings for Arnold her impassioned speech ending with her kissing Arnold. Arnold, for his part, didn't seem repulsed by Helga's actions - just very surprised - likely because he returned Helga's feelings as alluded to in the episode "Marriage."

By the end of the movie, the neighborhood was saved thanks to Helga's selfless acts and Arnold and Gerald's sheer guts and determination. Helga and Arnold have a moment alone as the rest of their friends celebrate the win against 'Big Business' during which Arnold questioned whether or not Helga really meant what she had said - that she loved him. Arnold gave Helga a way out - a way for her to return them to the way they were and forget about the emotional moment atop the FTi building - by offering that she actually hated him and it was just the heat of the moment. Helga took the opportunity to save face and confirmed that she really did hate Arnold. However, it was obvious that Arnold wasn't the least bit convinced - he only allowed Helga to continue her denial out of respect for her feelings.

The series finale (for the moment) did not include Helga in it. In the episode, "The Journal," Arnold found his father's journal in the boarding house attic and proceeded to read it. The journal's enteries told of how Arnold's parents met, about Arnold's first years of life, and recounted the events leading up to Arnold's parents going missing. The scenes of Arnold's parents when they first met and their interactions were strongly reminiscent to Arnold and Helga's interactions. Additionally, both parents were highly intelligent and both were doctors.

The series ended with Arnold finding a map in his father's journal which may lead Arnold to the truth about what really happened to his parents - why they never returned. The episode was written as the set-up for "The Jungle Movie" but the movie never got produced - it was shelved for over a decade. However, thanks to renewed interest in "Hey Arnold!" and grassroots support "The Jungle Movie" is finally being made and should be out sometime in 2017. The movie will feature the return of most of the original cast including Helga meaning that Arnold and Helga's story is far from finished.

Character Personality: Please be as detailed as possible. Minimum three paragraphs.
Helga is an overbearing, scheming, materialistic, lazy bully. She doesn't exactly have many endearing qualities - at least at first blush. Under her boorish and bossy behavior is a shy girl who uses aggression to hide her insecurities. If one takes the time and can tolerate her verbal abuse and disregard for others they find someone who is incredibly loyal, passionate, kindhearted, and brilliant. Sadly, Helga doesn't allow many people to see her softer side leaving most with the impression that she is uncouth and disrespectful.

Helga is an excellent judge of character as shown in the episode "Olga Gets Engaged". She is also a genius according to her test results in the episode "The Aptitude Test". Unfortunately, Helga doesn't apply herself nearly as much as she should to her studies and, as a result, she doesn't always achieve her full potential except in English class where her writing earns her top grades and awards.

Helga has an extremely low tolerance for anyone she perceives as being 'fake'. Ironically, Helga herself is a fake to a certain extent with her bully facade. However, Helga doesn't seem to really grasp that she is playing a part most of the time. She understands that she needs to be nice to Arnold - that she wants to be nice to Arnold - but she just can't seem to make her good intentions into good actions. In Helga's mind kindness and tender feelings are weaknesses. The seeds of this were planted as early as preschool when she is teased and mocked for having a crush on Arnold when he gives her his crackers after Harold eats hers. Being made the joke among her classmates that day stuck with her and she was determined to never show vulnerability so as to avoid opening herself up to ridicule of her peers. The key to her survival is her ability to not allow others to see how emotionally invested she gets when it comes to her friends and, her love, Arnold.

Helga has a warped idea of what it means to be loved due to her upbringing. Helga never sees her parents show kindness and love for one another. As far as Helga can see her parents just happen to exist in the same house. Her mother, Miriam, is clearly unhappy with her marriage and, as a result, spends her life in a daze. It has been speculated that Miriam is an alcoholic due to her loss of her driver's license, comments that she has to complete community service, her slurred speech, her absent-mindedness, her need to always have her blender and smoothies, and her tendency to fall asleep in the kitchen (likely more like passing out in the kitchen). Miriam often forgets to take care of Helga and has been shown sending her to school with an empty lunch box or a lunch she cannot eat - like shaving cream - and not having anything in the house to eat for dinner. Additionally, Miriam forgets to ensure that Helga is properly dressed for the weather by forgetting to pick up her winter coat from the cleaners or making sure she gets to preschool safely or at least with an umbrella.

However, it has been hinted that Miriam is actually a very intelligent and competent woman when she is not suffering under the control and criticism of her husband, Bob. In the episode "Beeper Queen" Miriam is put in charge of the household while Bob is laid up and she thrives and, momentarily, Helga thrives as well until her mother's desire for success and money makes Helga once more a low priority. Surprisingly, though, Miriam does have an epiphany at the end of the episode and Helga finally gets some of the love and support from her mother that she is so hungry for. So while Miriam is not perfect she is usually viewed as the better parent (when she isn't hitting the sauce). She clearly loves Helga in her own warped way and Helga seems to understand, up to a point, that her mother isn't capable of a lot but she does try.

When it comes to Big Bob or Bob the relationship is much worse. He constantly calls Helga 'Olga' or 'the girl' and compares her every chance he gets with Olga. He can't stand weakness or spending time with Helga and he berates Helga for actually getting the counseling she desperately needs in the episode "Helga on the Couch" causing Helga to view confronting her issues - issues not of her own making - as a mark of something being wrong with her that she needs to be punished for.

While Helga shares a lot of personality characteristics with her father they are not flattering characteristics. Helga's love for material things and money almost without a doubt come from her father constantly telling her that things are more important than people. Bob views awards and prizes and prestige as more important than actually appreciating the person who is earning the accolades. Bob schemes and connives to get his way and always win which is also likely the reason why Helga is so pushy and resistant to compromise. Additionally, his devious planning and lack of regard for others is likely where Helga gets the idea that it's okay to hurt other people so long as she gets what she wants and comes out on top.

But there is a lot of good within Helga for those who take the time necessary to uncover those positive traits. Helga tells it like it is - she calls people out on their B.S. and the consequences be damned. Helga can also be reasoned with as shown in "Helga's Show" when Phoebe explains to Helga why the other kids were upset with her and asks how she would feel if people said mean things about her. In that same episode it is shown that Helga is actually very self-conscious - she doesn't like being made fun of and she does care what others think of her even though she claims not to. Still, at the end of the day, Helga still tells it like it is because that is her - to do otherwise would be a lie.

Helga has never been taught to properly handle her emotions. She goes from fine to extreme in no time. Her emotions are always intense and the longer she bottles them up the more powerful they become. Her love for Arnold is the best example of this. What started as school girl crush has blossomed into all out obsession. Helga understands that her obsession with Arnold isn't 'normal' but she doesn't know how to properly express her affection. To avoid being mocked or teased for being so serious at such a young age Helga does the only thing she knows will work - she goes to the extreme opposite and picks on Arnold. She is so mean and callous in her actions that it is amazing Arnold still considers her a friend but he is able to see through her disguise and knows there is something more going on than Helga will admit.

The other emotion that Helga is most prone to going off the deep end with is jealousy. Helga knows that she is emotionally stunted and seeing others who are not so limited getting on well with Arnold makes her blood boil. People like Lila are able to do what Helga cannot - have healthy relationships and work through their feelings in appropriate ways. Helga has never been taught how to do either of these things and her frustration at her own shortcomings tend to lead to her seeking revenge against those who have done nothing to wrong her.

Helga associates love and attention with strength and being the best. She sees how her sister, Olga, receives all of her parents' affection through perfection. She believes the only way to get her parents to notice her is to be the best. However, Helga is not her sister. While Olga is brilliant and talented she is not very bright when it comes to street smarts. Helga has both book smarts and street smarts. Helga is usually the adult in the house, tolerating the childish behavior of her parents and her sister's, naivety. Wise beyond her years, Helga is likely more brilliant and talented than her sister but stubbornly holds onto being a bully and just an average student because that is the only way of life she knows and it is all she is capable of emotionally - at least for now.

There are two people in Helga's life that really seem to know the real Helga - Helga's best friend, Phoebe Heyerdahl, and Arnold.

Helga has protected and stood up for Phoebe most of the time the two have known each other thus endearing Helga to Phoebe even though Helga does take advantage of Phoebe. Phoebe appears to have a very real understanding of Helga's home life and what makes her tick so she takes the boorish behavior in stride most of the time. In the episode "Marriage" it is Phoebe who has the final vision of what Helga and Arnold would be like if they were married and it is a touching scene indicating that Phoebe truly wants her best friend to be happy.

Arnold has every reason to hate and loathe Helga and yet he doesn't. Granted, Arnold looks on the bright and always tries to see the best in people but finding things to like about Helga would seem to be a stretch even for someone like Arnold. However, Arnold has time and time again shown kindness to Helga in the face of her bullying. Arnold is an exceptionally bright kid and it is likely he sees a kindred spirit in Helga - wise beyond her years and brilliant much like him. Arnold also seems to have a pretty good understanding of Helga's home life as shown in both "Arnold's Thanksgiving" and "Marriage". He is the only character who has openly told Helga that he knows she is nicer and smarter and more driven to succeed than she acts. He knows her attitude and bad behavior are defense mechanisms and he has been steadily chipping away at them. Additionally, both come from non-traditional home settings and they are able to relate to each other when it comes to not really knowing what 'normal' is when it comes to family.

Helga is incredibly loyal and giving. She is willing to sacrifice her own best interests to do the right thing as shown most notably in "Spelling Bee", "Arnold's Christmas", "Phoebe Takes the Fall", and "Hey Arnold!: The Movie". When her friends are in trouble or she feels like they are being taken advantage of - even if she was the one initially taking advantage of them - Helga is willing to do anything to make sure things are set right again. This all goes to show that despite her twisted upbringing Helga has a pretty solid moral compass - it just needs a nudge once in awhile to stay pointing in the right direction.

"Why are you doing this?! Look, I know you're not this lazy and cold and uncaring. You may act like that but deep down I know you're smart and you have feelings and if we have to be married to each other then I want you to start showing it!" - Arnold
"I don't know what you're talkin' about." - Helga
"Yes, you do, Helga! Why can't you just admit it? You're not this mean!" - Arnold
"Yes, I am!" - Helga
"No, you're not! You're not!" - Arnold

Dialog taken from Arnold's dream in the episode "Marriage".

Powers and Abilities: Nadda. Helga is just a regular human girl with a lot of peculiar behaviors.

Samples
Network:
[The feed comes on and a girl with blond hair wearing a pink dress and a matching bow in her hair is scowling into the camera.]

Is this thing working? Hey, if anyone is watching this let me know. Do something - nothing weird, though, or you'll have to answer to "Ol' Betsy" and "The Five Avengers."

[She holds up one of her fists.]

So... This thing is all one big fantasy, right? This is a dream. I'm going to wake up and I am going to be back in my room and Miriam will be asleep at the kitchen table downstairs and Bob will be yelling at the television. Right? Right.

[She eyes the feed nervously, fussing with the device in her hands.]

On the off-chance this is real - heh, talk about a crazy idea - has anyone talked to a girl named Phoebe or a boy with a football-shaped head? Just curious. You know - just wanna make sure they're okay. I'm perfectly fine but those two are lost without me.

Third Person:

Several days had passed since Helga had arrived in Nautilus. She still didn't understand how she managed to be sucked into this reality but it was reality none the less. Every day she woke up and expected to be back home - to hear her mother yelling at her to get up for school. Every day she awoke to find herself in a sparsely decorated room in one of the Southern Welcome House instead of the brightly decorated room back in her old life.

Helga was scared. She wouldn't admit it to anyone but she was scared and she knew it. She was just a ten-year-old girl - she wasn't supposed to on her own with no friends or family to help her. Sure, everyone had been nice enough so far but they were all strangers. How could she trust any of them? More to the point was if she even wanted to trust any of them.

With a sigh, Helga sat up in bed, eyes blinking against the bright morning Sun that was streaming in the window, and pulled out the locket she kept with her at all times. As she gazed upon the picture of her beloved Arnold she wondered if she would ever see him again. Did he even notice she was gone? Did anyone notice that she was gone? If they did notice she was gone did they even care? She wouldn't blame them if they didn't care - especially not Arnold.

Angrily, she wiped away tears that threatened to fall from her blue eyes. No, she wouldn't cry. Crying was for babies and weaklings and Helga G. Pataki was neither a baby nor a weakling. It didn't matter how much she wanted to go home or how much she missed her friends. Helga wouldn't let anyone get the drop on her - to see her as weak.

Helga tucked the locket safely away again and hopped off her bed. She couldn't sit around here all day. She had decided almost as soon as she had woken up in this strange place that either one of two things would happen - she would find her way home again or she would find her friends here as well. If she had to stay here then she had hold out hope that someone else might also be here from her world. She had to hold onto that hope. Aside from the locket and the clothes on her back, hope was the only thing Helga had left in this strange new world.